Doctors group rips New York version of ObamaCare

ALBANY — One of New York’s largest physicians’ groups says ObamaCare needs a checkup.
The head of the Medical Society of New York ripped the Affordable Care Act for failing to require insurers to offer out-of-network coverage to patients next year.
“It also exacerbates the problem we have seen in New York’s Exchange regarding the often-limited networks that reduce patient choice to see the physician best able to treat their particular condition,” said Dr. Andrew Kleinman, president of the society.
New York state outlined a full list of changes and criteria for users of ObamaCare on its Health Department web site.
Among the provisions is allowing patients to go to an out-of-network provider at in-network costs if there is no appropriate doctor in the network. It also protects patients from being charged with surprise out-of-network bills when a network provider was unavailable.
However, Kleinman said that the process for going out of network is flawed because it is subject to an “independent review.”
“New York State Exchange officials now must work to assure that health insurers voluntarily make such out-of-network coverage available,” he said.